In conventional art, there is provided a sterilizing method in which, while continuously conveying preforms, a sterilizer (sterilizing agent) is applied to the preforms, which are then introduced into a heating furnace, the preforms are heated in the heating furnace to a temperature suitable for forming the preform into a container, and during such heating, the sterilizer applied to the preform is dried and activated simultaneously (see Patent Documents 1, 2, 3).
Furthermore, there is also provided a drink filling method in which a preform is preheated, hydrogen peroxide mist or gas is blasted to the preheated preform, the preform is then heated to a temperature suitable for molding thereof, the preform of the suitable temperature for molding is molded into a bottle in a mold continuously traveling with the preform, the blow-molded bottle is taken out of the mold, and thereafter, the bottle is filled up with drink and then sealed with a lid (for example, Patent Documents 4, 5).
Still furthermore, there is also provided a method in which a preform is dipped into a sterilizing liquid to thereby sterilize the preform, the preform is heated to a temperature suitable for molding in a heating furnace after the sterilizer liquid adheres to the preform has been removed, and the preform is thereafter blow-molded into a container (see Patent Document 6).